


Carve Your Name

by lullabelle_moon



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Happy Ending, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 21:13:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7284991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lullabelle_moon/pseuds/lullabelle_moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert immortalizes his and Aaron's wedding day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carve Your Name

Robert set his beer down on the step; realising pretty quickly that he was going to need two hands to do this. He grunted quietly as the knife scratched at the old wood,

"You sure this is a good idea."

"Uh huh."

Aaron sat back and took a swig of his own beer before looking out at the empty field. He felt exhausted yet exhilarated; the day seemed like it had stretched on for months but he knew it was still early; the sky was barely turning orange with the sun setting. He could hear the noise from the pub as someone opened the doors and he smiled to himself again before turning his head to look at Robert who was busy scratching at the wood still. He bit his lip and held his hand up to touch the man's back; pausing as the evening light caught the ring of silver around his finger. He turned his hand slightly in the air and watched as the light reflected from it before taking another drink and relaxing into his thoughts.

 

_It had taken almost five years. Five years; two houses, one big job offer, a dog and then finally, a ring. They'd stayed in the village until Liv had finished school; buying a house not far from the pub. Once she'd finished and decided she wanted to go to sixth form they started making plans; Liv had worked hard, gotten her grades and was accepted into university in Manchester. Aaron had been happy to stay in Emmerdale but the prospect of better jobs and a better life were too good to walk away from. So they packed up and headed toward London where Robert soon found his feet in a new company and Aaron set himself up running another scrap yard. The dog came eight months later; a birthday present for Aaron. The ring came soon after that._

 

"This wood isn't as soft as it looks."

Aaron sniggered,

"That's what she said."

Robert stopped what he was doing and looked over at him,

"Seriously?"

Aaron grinned at him,

"You wanna laugh I can see it in your eyes."

Robert rolled his eyes at him; unable to stop the grin that formed on his lips,

"See? Always right."

Robert shook his head and returned to his task.

"You know they'll probably get pissed that you're doing that?"

Robert shrugged,

"Don't care."

Aaron smiled and looked back at the field again, his mind wandering once more.

 

_A million thoughts ran through Chas's mind when Robert turned up,_

_"Robert? What are you doing here? Where's Aaron? Is he okay?"_

_Robert had just smiled,_

_"He's fine. I'm just...can we talk?"_

_She'd ushered him into the back room,_

_"What's wrong? There's gotta be something wrong. Why else would you drop in? Does Aaron know you're here?"_

_"Uh...no. No he doesn't and I'd rather it stayed that way."_

_Chas frowned at him,_

_"Why?"_

_Robert took a breath,_

_"Okay...I need-I mean I want...I want to ask you something."_

_Chas sat slowly,_

_"Okay?"_

_Robert sat opposite her,_

_"You need to hear first of all that I love Aaron with...everything I have. I love him more than I can ever say."_

_She frowned again,_

_"You're worrying me."_

_Robert shook his head,_

_"No no...Don’t be worried-look I just...I wanted to ask for your permission-well blessing more than permission-"_

_"Robert?"_

_He took a breath,_

_"I wanna propose to him. I wanna marry him."_

_Chas froze for a moment then looked away before looking back at him,_

_"You want to marry my boy?"_

_Robert swallowed; unsure of how safe he was in the conversation,_

_"More than anything."_

_Chas stood up and began to pace the room,_

_"Look I know it's no secret you have your issues with me and I understand completely but I love him so much. You can trust me on that."_

_Chas looked at him,_

_"You've been thinking about this for a while?"_

_"Almost a year. I wanted us settled, Liv settled, I wanted us to have a home and everything before I did anything."_

_Chas nodded,_

_"You'll take care of him."_

_"Of course-"_

_"That wasn't a question."_

_Robert looked down at his hands and shrugged,_

_"You and I will never be best friends. Or even friends...I get that."_

_He met her eye,_

_"I love him with every...fibre of my being. I want to be with him for the rest of my days; I wanna...have kids and grow old with him. I want my life with Aaron. And I know you're probably worried I'll hurt him, that I'll mess up and I can't promise that we'll never have rough patches but I can and I do...swear on my life that I will never intentionally hurt him. I will never intentionally cause him any pain. I swear. I want him...I want him to have the happiest life he can. That's all I want."_

_Chas smiled,_

_"That's all I needed to hear."_

_Robert could barely breathe,_

_"Is that...are you...?"_

_"I'm giving you my blessing."_

_Robert didn't even think; one moment he was sitting and the next he was hugging Chas tightly,_

_"Thank you."_

 

Aaron took his phone out and checked the time,

"You nearly done?"

Robert grunted in reply,

"Can't rush art Aaron."

Aaron put the now empty bottle down and looked over at Robert who was busy blowing on the marks he'd made,

"What are you even doing?"

"Baking a cake, what does it look like?"

Aaron reached over and grabbed Robert's beer,

"Just for that, you're losing your beer."

Robert laughed and shifted on his knees before returning to his work.

 

_"What's all this?"_

_As soon as Aaron opened the door he was greeted by a trail of candles leading into the living room; following them he found Robert sitting at the dining table,_

_"Hi."_

_Aaron took his jacket off and placed it on the sofa,_

_"What's going on?"_

_Robert got up and walked over to him; pulling him in and kissing him softly,_

_"Hi."_

_Aaron smiled at him,_

_"Hi."_

_He kissed him again; gripping his hips until Robert pulled away and moved the kisses to Aaron's neck as he pulled him into a hug._

_"You okay?"_

_Robert pulled back; pushing his hands through Aaron's hair and nodding,_

_"Yeah, I made dinner."_

_Aaron nodded,_

_"And started a fire."_

_Robert grinned,_

_"It's called being romantic."_

_Aaron glanced around,_

_"Did I forget an anniversary?"_

_Robert frowned,_

_"The fact you just asked me that worries me that you don't know when our anniversary is."_

_Aaron grinned and walked over to the table,_

_"I know when it is. Where's Scout?"_

_Robert opened a bottle of beer and put it in front of Aaron,_

_"He's in the back. He's fine."_

_Aaron waited for Robert to sit before raising his bottle,_

_"Cheers then."_

_Robert clinked their bottles and waited for a moment before shifting on the seat,_

_"Okay...I need to talk to you."_

 

The noise from the pub interrupted Aaron's thoughts again and he looked over toward the faint music,

"They're gonna go on for hours."

Robert smirked,

"Reckon they've noticed we've gone?"

Aaron shrugged and took a gulp of beer before handing the bottle to Robert,

"They've got an open bar. Course they haven't."

Robert sat down on the step and took a gulp of beer before passing the bottle back and cleaning the knife on his trousers,

"S'a good day though. Right?"

Aaron moved closer to rest his head on Robert's shoulder,

"Yeah."

He smiled as he entwined their hands,

"Good day."

 

_They were always going to get married in the village. It was never a question; their families were there, their history was there. Apart from the one night Aaron was fed up with phone calls about place cards and declared he was calling it off and marrying Robert in Vegas- they were always going to get married in the village. After some discussion they decided to take a leaf out of Cain and Moira's book; the barn was decorated and set up, the boys were dressed in deep blue suits and Liv was best woman alongside Victoria. Aaron had a blush about him all day; still not a fan of the attention but no one could deny the tears in his eyes when Robert told everyone he was his soulmate._

_"Not bad for two idiots who can't get their act together eh?"_

_Aaron had only smiled and pulled him into another kiss before looking out at everyone cheering for them,_

_"Has your family always been this big?"_

_Aaron grinned,_

_"Your family too now."_

_Robert pulled a face,_

_"Too late to pull out?"_

_Aaron hit his arm,_

_"Behave."_

_Robert laughed and pulled him in again._

 

"You know it's technically vandalism?"

Robert looked over at Aaron,

"Since when are you law abiding?"

Aaron lifted his tie and dropped it again,

"Gotta be now, I'm all married and stuff."

Robert grinned,

"And stuff?"

Aaron leant back; propping himself on his elbows,

"Yeah. And stuff."

Robert chuckled to himself and turned back to his work,

"I'm almost done anyway."

Aaron nodded,

"Good I wanna get back. Check on Liv."

Robert smirked,

"She's fine. She has whatsername with her-Emily. You know I'm not one hundred percent convinced they're just roommates."

Aaron glanced over and grinned,

"No?"

Robert shrugged,

"I dunno. Just don't be surprised if she wants a conversation with us about it."

Aaron sighed,

"Yeah well...she's 19 she can do as she pleases."

Robert grinned and continued scratching at the wood.

 

_"Speech! Speech!"_

_Aaron groaned; burying his face in Robert's shoulder as the other man became engrossed in his pint to avoid people's eye,_

_"Come on!"_

_Robert sighed and stood up,_

_"Fine."_

_He cleared his throat and glanced around; beginning by thanking everyone then turning his attention to Aaron,_

_"Aaron...this...this day wasn't something I ever thought would happen. You've made me so incredibly happy-no that's not the right word. You...when I'm with you I'm at peace with everything. You didn't just make my life better, you made my life. I love you."_

_Aaron swallowed and smiled at him; allowing himself to be pulled to his feet,_

_"So if you'll all raise a glass I wanna make a toast to my better half...my life...Aaron Dingle."_

_Everyone joined in only to have Aaron hold his hand up,_

_"Actually it's Aaron Dingle-Sugden now."_

_Robert beamed at him; pulling him in for another kiss as the room exploded into noise around them._

 

"Right. There."

Robert stepped back to admire his work and then looked at Aaron,

"Well?"

Aaron pulled himself to his feet and looked at it,

"Great. Can we go?"

Robert frowned,

"A little more enthusiasm please I did just immortalise our life together."

Aaron smiled and leaned in to kiss Robert's cheek,

"It's perfect."

Robert turned; wrapping his arms around Aaron's neck with a smile,

"So...Mr Dingle-Sugden...no regrets?"

Aaron shook his head,

"Not one."

Robert glanced down at Aaron's lips then met his eye again,

"I love you."

Aaron pulled him closer,

"Love you more."

"Not possible."

"No?"

"No."

"We'll see."

Robert grinned and closed the gap completely as he kissed him. Smiling into it as they lost themselves in the moment,

"There you are!"

They broke apart to see Victoria standing at the bottom of the stairs,

"We've been looking all over- we wanna do the cake and, seeing as your wonderful sister made it- you should want to as well."

Robert grinned and kissed Aaron's head,

"To be continued."

Aaron laughed; letting himself be pulled down the stairs by Robert and lead in the direction of the pub, Victoria moved to follow when she noticed the mess on the floor she looked over to see the words scratched in to the wood, fresh marks underneath old graffiti and Aaron's own faded, scratched words. She stepped over to it and smiled as she read the words,

"Robert and Aaron were married here 2021 - In it for keeps."

She ran her finger over the words and smiled to herself before following the boys back to the party.

 


End file.
